Articulated car



June 28, 1932. J. B. D. THOMPSON ARTI CULATED CAR Filed Jan. 5, 1951 lill /NVf/V 70H Joh? Timm/wm y P /'TRNL' Y Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE JOHN B. D. THOMPSON,` OF 'UNION CITY, NEW'JERSY, ASVSIGNOR 'IO AMERICAN `CAIR' .AND FOUN DRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY ARTICULATED cnn Application led January 3, y1931. Serial No. 506,385.

This invention relates to articulated cars of the type in which adjacent car body end portions are supported by va single truck known in the art as a pivot truck.

One object of this vinvention isthe provision of a new and improved articulated joint for railway cars.

Another object of this invention Yis the prof vision of an articulated car in which a pair of relatively movable bolster `sections are provided for supporting the adjacent end portions of two car bodies; the said bolster sections supporting a truck center plate with which body center bearings are engaged.

Still another obj ect of this invention is the provision of an articulated car having means for supporting a foot plate bythe car truck.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an articulated joint in which excessive relative sidewise and vertical shifting is prevented.

A still furtherobject vof this invention is the provision of a multi-part body center casting for an articulated car.

Another ob`ect of this invention 'is the provision of a multi-part body center casting for an articulated car in which the parts thereof may be easily and quickly separated whereby to permit a quick and easy separation of adjacent car bodies. n

Other objects and advantages of this-invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan Aview of lcertain parts of the end portions of two adjacent-car bodies, the view havingcertain parts broken away, other parts shown in section, and still other parts removed to more clearly disclose the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the end portions of two car bodies and the articulation therefor. together with a sectional view of a truck bolster and truck center plate. and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3, of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the present invention is designed to couple together the'adjacent end portions of 50 two car bodies, portions of which are shown more or less conventionally and'diagrammatically at A. It is to be understood that only suchparts of the bodies as are necessary for an understanding of the present invention are illustrated, as the specific construc-y tion of the major portions of the car bodies forms no part of the present invention.

The bodies are provided `with suitable underframes, including in the present instance,

tally arranged sockets 8. The rear ends of the castings 4 are closed by walls 10, and abutment walls 12 are provided adjacentto but spaced from the rear walls 1() as shown clearly in Figs. l-and 2. The retainer castings 4 form parts of body center castings indicated generally at 13. These body center castings also include inner castings 14, h ollow as shown clearly in Fig. 2 and of suchk size as to nicely iit the before mentioned sockets 8 and, so far, are similarto the castings shown in patent to A. E.v Ostrander, et al. No. 1,726,- 667. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the inner castings 14 are secured in the sockets by means of pins 16 which extend through the retainer castings and through said inner castings, and the forward ends of the inner castings project beyond the forward ends of the retainer castings and are provided with depending projections 1,8, having convex bearing surfaces 2O which are in the form of a portion of a sphere the center of which is substantially midway between the ends of the car bodies. These bearing portions engage in a bearing block 22 carried by a truck center plate 24; the bearing block having concave bearing surfaces 23. The upper end of each projection 18 is arranged in ahorizontal plane lower than the upper walls of the castings 14 to providehorizontally arranged shoulders 25, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.A The projec-` tions 18 are shown as being formed integral with the remainder of the inner castings 14 but obviously this is merely by way of eXample as they may beformed separately and as will be apparent.

attached to the forward ends of the castings 14 in any suitable manner if desired. In the present instance the forward end portions of the castings 14 include the projections and said forward end portions are vertically recessed. as at 26 and are arranged in close proximity to vand partially encircle a hollow upstanding sleeve 28 formed with and pref-A erably arranged concentrically with respect to the main portion 30 of the bearing block 22.

The bearing block 22 is mounted on a truck bolster indicated generally at 32 and formed of similar but oppositely disposed sections 34 and 36 respectively. The bolster 32 is substantially identical with that shown in patent to Ostrander heretofore mentioned and no specilic claim is being made to theconstruction thereof.

The bearing block 22 is carried by a truck center plate 24 which is circular in shape and provided with a base 38 having depending oppositely arranged flanges 39 which fit over flanges 41 of the bolster whereby the center plate 24 is positioned.

The center plate further includes an upstanding annular marginal flange 42 and a yconcentrically arranged guide flange 44 which extends into the sleeve 28, the latter defining a pin receiving opening 46 as hereinafter pointed out. The bearing block 22 Ais retained in position by the flange 42 but it will be apparent that the flange 44, being fitted into the sleeve 28 will also serve to retain the bearing block 22 in its proper position.

A To permit passage from one car body to the other it is necessary to provide a means which bridges the space between adjacent end portions of the car bodies, and in the present invention a foot plate 48 is provided for this purpose. In practice the foot plate is circular as shown clearly in Fig. 1 and the present invention contemplates a. means for supporting the foot plate from the truck and more particularly from the truck bolster 32 whereby it is maintained in a substantially fixed position relative to adjacent end portions of the car bodies. As shown clearly in Fig. 2 a pin 50 is provided which extends through the sleeve 28 and guide flange 44 and then between the bolster sections 34 and .36 -the webs of the latter being provided with vertically arranged recesses 52 substantially midway between the ends of said sections which define a substantially vertical recess The lower end of the pin extends through a collar 54 having .trunnions 56 engaged in openings formed in the bolster webs whereby the pin is retained against vertical shifting. Secured to the end of the pin, for an obvious purpose, is a In the present invention the pin 50 is utihzed to support the foot plate as well as to 50, adjacent the head 60 is of a diameter such as to substantially engage the inner walls of the sleeve 28 and the lower end of pin 56 reduced in diameter whereby to extend through the guide flange 44 and the recess defined by the oppositely arranged recesses 52 in the bolster section webs. Y

From the above description it is believed that the construction will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art. In use, the car body end portions may swivel relative to each other and because of the specific conformation of the bearing block and lower portions of projections 18, the car bodies will be prevented from excessive relative sidewise shifting. Excessive relative vertical shifting of the car bodies is prevented due to the overlapping of the head 60 with the shoulders 25 of the projection 18 the pin 50 being retained in a substantially fixed position at all times due to the trunnions 56. To disassemble the joint of the present invention, the nut 58 is removed, whereupon the pin 50 with its associated foot plate 48 may be lifted away from the remainder of the structure whereupon either or both of the car bodies may be removed from engagement with the truck `by elevating the end portions thereof to disto the other or from t-he car bodies to the truck, while pulling stresses are transmitted from one body to the truck and from one body to the other through the projections 18, the bearing block, and then the truck center plate and truck bolster.

The drawing herein illustrates one embodiment of the invent-ion but it is to be understood that they are for illustrative purposes only and various changes in the form and proportions of the construction shown may be made within the scope of the appended claims without 'departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck having a center plate, a bearing member carried by the center plate and provided with an annular concaved recess, bearing elements at the adjacent end portions ofs'aid car bodies having their bearing surfaces complemental to and supported in the annular recess, a spacing element exI tending upwardly from the bearing member for retaining the bodies in spaced relation, and means extending from the center plate and cooperating with the said spacing element for restraininr the bearing member against horizontal shifting.

2. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck arranged beneath the adjacent end portions of said bodies and provided with a center plate, a bearing member. carried by the center plate, retainer castings secured to the adjacent end portions of said car bodies, body castings arranged in and removably secured to the said retainer castings and provided with bearing elements at their forward ends, the bearing surfaces of said elements being complemental to and supported in the before mentioned bearing member, a spacing element extending upwardly from the bearing member and arranged between the said bearing elements for retaining the bodies in proper spaced relation, and means formed with the center plate and cooperating with the said spacing element for restraining the latter against horizontal shifting.` i

3. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck having a center plate, a bearing member supported by the center plate, bearing elements at the adjacent end portions of said bodies engaged with the bearing member, the bearing surfaces of said elements being in the form of a portion of a sphere, and a rigid element arranged between and cooperating with the bearing elements and connected to the truck whereby to restrain the bearing elements against vertical shifting, a portion of said element defining buiiing means.

4. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck having a center plate, a bearing block supported by the center plate and provided with a coiicentrically arranged guide, bearing elements at the adjacent end portions of said bodies having l portions partially encircling the guide, the

bearing surfaces of said elements being in t-he form of a portion of a sphere the center of which is arranged 1n the line of bufhng shocks to which the bodies are subjected.

5. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies` a truck having a center plate, a combined bearing block and body bearing guide supported by the center plate, telescopically arranged body center castings secured to the adjacent end portions of the bodies and provided with depending bearin'g elements arranged adjacent to the body bearing guide for relative horizontal swiveling movement, and a pivot pin extending through the body bearing guide into a truck part for retaining the bodies against relative vertical shifting.

6. In an articulated car, a plurality of car bodies, a truck bolster having a center plate center plate and restrained against h-orizontalshifting by said guide flange, body `bearings engaged in the bearing block, and a combined Vpivot pin and buiiing elementarranged intermediate the adjacent end portions of the bodies and connected to the bolster.

7. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies, a truck bolster havinga center plate, a bearing block in said center'plate provided with a conceiitrically arranged guide sleeve, body connection castings secured to the adjacent end portions of the bodies and having depending projections at their forward ends which partially encircle the said guide sleeve, and a footplate lapping the adjacent` end portions of said bodies and supported by the guide sleeve. f y

f 8. In an articulated car, abody connection casting comprising a retaining casting, an

inner casting connected thereto and freely re- .movable therefrom, the forward end of said Vinner casting being provided with a depending body bearing having the bearing surfaces thereof in the form of a portion of a sphere. i

9. In an articulated car, a body connection castingV comprising a'retaining casting, and a second casting telescopically arranged with respect tothe retaining casting and provided at its forward end with a body bearing having an arcuate front surface, thebearing surface of said bodyybearing being in the form of a` portion of a sphere. j j

10. In an articulated car, a body connection casting comprising a retainingfcasting, a second casting telescopically arranged with respect to the retaining casting and having a longitudinally recessed projection at its forward end defining a body bearing, the bearing surface thereof being in the form of a portion of a. sphere. 4ll. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies, a truck bolster having a center plate, a bearing block carried by the center plate and `having an upstanding guide sleeve, body bearing elements engaged in said bearing block and partially encircling the sleeve, a combined pivot pin and bufling element arranged in the sleeve and connected to the bolster, said pin having a head overlying the body bearing elements whereby to restrain the bodies against excessive relative vertical shifting, and a foot plate bridging the space between the adjacent end portions of the bodies and supported by the head of the pivot pin.

12. In an articulated car, a pair of car bodies, a truck bolster, a center plate on the bolster providedy with a concent-rically arranged upstanding guide, a bearing block around the guide, said bearing block having an upstanding concentrically arranged sleeve into which the before mentioned guide extends, body bearing elements at the adjacent end portions of the bodies supported for horizontal swiveling movement in the bearing block and partially encircling the sleeve, and a buffer element positioned in the sleeve and extended into and connected to the bolster.

13. In an articulatedcar comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck for supporting the adjacent end portions of the bodies, a truck bolster, a center plate supported by the bolster, a bearing element carried by said center plate, body bearings at the adjacent end portions of said bodies having their bearing surfaces in the form of a portion of Y a sphere the center of which is above the bearing surface and which deiines the center of horizontal swiveling of the bodies, a spacer extending upwardly from the bearing element, means on the center plate cooperating with the spacer for restrainingr the bearing element against horizontal shifting, and a pivot pin for retaining the bear-v ing element, center plate and bolster in assembled relation and for restraining the bodies against excessive relative vertical shifting.

14. In an articulated car comprising a plurality of car bodies, a truck orsupporting the adjacent end portions of the bodies, a

truck bolster, a center plate supported by the bolster, a bearing element carried by said center plate, body bearings at the adjacent end portions of 'said bodies having their bearing surfaces in the form of a portion of a sphere the center of which is above the bearing surface and which defines the center of horizontal swiveling of the bodies, a spacer extending upwardly from the bearing element. means on the Center plate cooperating with the spacer for restraining the bearing element against horizontal shifting, and a pivot pin for retaining the bearing element, center plate and bolster in assembled relation.

In witness whereorn I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN B. D. THOMPSON. 

